A Morning Cup of Tea: "Take Ye Heed; Watch and Pray"

Good morning! Today we are in chapter thirteen of the gospel of Mark. In today's world, probably like any other time since the time Jesus walked the earth, there are often predictions of the 'end of the world', or the second coming of Christ. Just a few months back followers of a certain man left their jobs and some left their homes, and budgeted to the day that Christ was purported to come back, the food and money they had left. They believed so much what their leader told them, that they saw no need for earthly things after that date. As we all know, the date came and went, and life continued on. The leader said he had made a mistake in his calculations, and if I'm not mistaken, has already predicted another date that Jesus will come back.  There are others who believe that the end is close to Christmas, 2012, simply because the Mayan calendar ended at that time.  If you glance at some of the fanciful tabloids at the check out stand (you know the ones --"The Last Brave Days of Mrs Celebrity"  "The President had an Affair with an Alien from Outerspace" --that type) every now and then you will see proclaimed "Nostradamus Predicts World Will End ___ (fill in the date they drew out of a hat. And I'm sure there are many other lesser known predictions out there. A friend of mine once said of such predictions, you can bet on the day it actually happens someone is going to stand up and say see! I told you it would happen today!
  None of these cult leaders or prognosticators, or even the followers for that matter, seem to read or remember the words of Jesus concerning the second coming: But that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. Mark 13:32, 33.  
 This whole chapter, Jesus speaks of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, which happened during the lifetime of the disciples, and also the second coming.  But as for the second coming, there isn't going to be a big sign saying "Jesus is coming in five days. Time to straighten up your act." When the time comes, it will happen in an instant. Jesus himself said you dont know when he's coming back; at evening, at midnight, at daybreak, or in the morning. 
 Instead of worrying over when the second coming will be, we should concentrate on living for Christ. We should be living our lives so that others see Christ in us. We should be teaching, with word as well as our lives. 

Good morning! Today we are in chapter thirteen of the gospel of Mark. In today's world, probably like any other time since the time Jesus walked the earth, there are often predictions of the 'end of the world', or the second coming of Christ. Just a few months back followers of a certain man left their jobs and some left their homes, and budgeted to the day that Christ was purported to come back, the food and money they had left. They believed so much what their leader told them, that they saw no need for earthly things after that date. As we all know, the date came and went, and life continued on. The leader said he had made a mistake in his calculations, and if I'm not mistaken, has already predicted another date that Jesus will come back.  There are others who believe that the end is close to Christmas, 2012, simply because the Mayan calendar ended at that time.  If you glance at some of the fanciful tabloids at the check out stand (you know the ones --"The Last Brave Days of Mrs Celebrity"  "The President had an Affair with an Alien from Outerspace" --that type) every now and then you will see proclaimed "Nostradamus Predicts World Will End ___ (fill in the date they drew out of a hat. And I'm sure there are many other lesser known predictions out there. A friend of mine once said of such predictions, you can bet on the day it actually happens someone is going to stand up and say see! I told you it would happen today!
  None of these cult leaders or prognosticators, or even the followers for that matter, seem to read or remember the words of Jesus concerning the second coming: But that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. Mark 13:32, 33.  
 This whole chapter, Jesus speaks of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, which happened during the lifetime of the disciples, and also the second coming.  But as for the second coming, there isn't going to be a big sign saying "Jesus is coming in five days. Time to straighten up your act." When the time comes, it will happen in an instant. Jesus himself said you dont know when he's coming back; at evening, at midnight, at daybreak, or in the morning. 
 Instead of worrying over when the second coming will be, we should concentrate on living for Christ. We should be living our lives so that others see Christ in us. We should be teaching, with word as well as our lives.